READ: Taguba apologizes to Paolo Duterte

A day after Mark Taguba, a Custom Fixer, was grilled at the Senate Inquiry yesterday, he released a statement today dismissing the involvement of Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Mans Carpio in “Davao Group”.

In a statement he sent, he said he never testified nor will testify that the presidential son is involved in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment.

‘I am making this statement to clear Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Atty. Mans Carpio of any involvement in the shipment of illegal drugs into the country, and any anomalies in the Bureau of Customs,” Taguba said.

‘I also hereby apologize to Vice Mayor Duterte, Atty. Carpio and to the first family for the proliferation of fake news arising out of my testimony at the Senate yesterday,” he added.

Sen. Sonny Trillanes has repeatedly pinned Pulong and Mance that they were involved. In the senate inquiry yesterday, Trillanes and Sen. Dick Gordon has a heated argument which prompted Gordon to site Trillanes in contempt for behaving improperly.

Taguba also said that “Fake News” were the culprits in spreading lies about him tagging President Duterte’s relatives in the BOC scandal.

“As I had repeatedly stated before Congress and the Senate, the alleged involvement of the aforementioned individuals are hearsay in nature,” Taguba said.

“At no time have I met either Vice Mayor Duterte or Atty. Carpio in person, much less discuss any illegal transaction at the Bureau of Customs with them” he added.